Italics signal thoughts and bold italics signal telepathic conversations.
A/N: Since I received nice reviews, you get another chap! Thanks, Jouliana! And in chapter three, the rating changes to R, we have a certain "situation" with Shalimar… what will happen? What indeed? Review and I'll let you know.
Chapter two: "It's all my fault"
Jesse was startled from his work when he heard Brennan's pained voice, and as he tried to react to the news, he heard a loud shriek. Emma! he thought, worried. He left the console and ran to Emma, leaving Brennan hanging behind. On his way, he collided into Adam, who was leaving the med bay. Reacting quickly, Jesse helped Adam up, informed him of Brennan's report and asked him to take care of it. When he finally reached the room, he phased in, and found Emma curled up in the bed sobbing.
He lifted her softly, accommodating her as to embrace her, and whispering to soothe her into his arms. As he smoothed her hair, the sobbing subsided, allowing him to talk to her and actually be heard. "It's okay, Emma, I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."
Emma looked up to find his deep blue eyes filled with sweet concern as he caressed her gently. "Oh, Jess, it was so awful."
"Are you all right? What did you see?"
"I'm fine, it's just that I… oh God I saw Shal and Gabriel and he… she was in so much pain. Screaming and crying and calling out for Brennan. She was so scared, and he, he was…" her voice broke as she tried to choke back a sob and failed miserably, trailing off and refusing to go on instead.
Jesse pulled Emma into his arms again swiftly and held her for a couple of minutes, before he finally placed her in the bed gently and tucked her in. He sat beside her, holding her hand. "Rest. I'll talk to Brennan."
Emma immediately protested. "But it'll drive him crazy!"
"I'll give him an edited version, of course, but he has a right to know.
She sighed, giving up. No stopping Jess when he has his mind set. And I like that in a guy. Whoa, back up! Did I just… What the hell am I rambling on about? Me and Jess? No way! I've got to be insane. Shrug it off, Emma. "Just let me know how he takes it, okay?"
"Will do." He leaned over and pressed his lips to her forehead, and then rose up to leave the room, leaving Emma to her thoughts.
Jesse silently walked over to Adam and Brennan, who were stationed in the lab because Adam refused to leave his research. As he came in, Jess could hear Brennan arguing with Adam about having lost both Katharine and Shalimar all in one day. Hearing Jesse enter, Adam asked about Emma without taking his eyes off Brennan.
"She's fine. She just saw something she shouldn't have seen, that's all."
Brennan got suspicious because Jesse was looking at everything but him. Mustering up the courage, he forced himself to ask. "Jess, what happened to Shal?"
Jess finally looked at Brennan, seeing how much it took him to ask. If something like this happened to Emma… He shook the thoughts out of his head and replied quietly, after taking a while to organize his thoughts and find a way to phrase it without having to elaborate. "Gabriel… took her."
Brennan's eyes widened and his breathing accelerated, as it dawned on him. His jaw clenched, his hands rolled into fists, Brennan struggled to control himself. "That bastard!" he said, with labored breathing, "I can't believe he even dared… but he'll pay for hurting her, I swear to God!" He punched the wall furiously and shook his head, likely imagining how to make Gabriel pay. He punched the wall again and stormed out of the room, leaving Adam standing there very confused.
A/N: Anyone understand anything? Love these angst thingies.